SOUTHERN NASH HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR STAR LEO JONES

STANHOPE -- Leo Jones played only one varsity season with the Southern Nash High School football team -- but he certainly made the most of it.
Jones was a jack-of-all-trades last year for the Firebirds as he played a wealth of different positions while earning All-Big East Conference honors.
With Jones playing a key role, the Firebirds posted a sterling 9-2 record in 2021 while reaching the second round of the Class 3-A State Playoffs.

SOUTHERN NASH'S JORDAN VICK

ROCKY MOUNT -- Heading into the Class 3-A State Playoffs on a four-game losing streak wasn't the proposition the Southern Nash boys basketball team had envisioned after being a dominant force for the overwhelming majority of the 2021-22 campaign.
But that was the scenario the Firebirds faced Tuesday as they attempted to snap a three-game losing streak on the road against a fired-up Nash Central club that was playing in front of a huge Senior Night crowd.

OUT IT GOES. Players from both sides follow the flight of the ball during Nash Central's home matchup Tuesday night against league foe Southern Nash.

ROCKY MOUNT -- What started out as the Kaileigh Gunter Show was pre-empted by the Jermia Walker Show during Tuesday's regular season girls basketball contest between Southern Nash and homestanding Nash Central.
Gunter got things going for Central with a strong first quarter, but Walker and the Ladybirds controlled the proceedings there, pulling away for a 45-28 decision at the NCHS Gymnasium.

CENTRAL SENIOR ARIANNE SPENCER

ROCKY MOUNT -- Before the 2021-22 swim season began, Nash Central High School veteran coach Kyle Bain was upbeat about his club's prospects for success.
That's because Central boasted a senior-laden lineup loaded with experience and skill -- so it was almost a given that the Bulldogs would be a factor in the Big East Conference and beyond.

ROCKY MOUNT -- The North Carolina Wesleyan College baseball team rallied from an early deficit to win its home opener 4-2 last Friday against non-conference foe Bridgewater College (Va.).
Junior 2B Davie Morgan began the rally with his leadoff solo home run in the 6th inning. He then drove in sophomore SS Tyson Bass in the seventh inning to tie the score at two.

ROCKY MOUNT -- The North Carolina Wesleyan College men's basketball team used terrific defense to shut down the Knights of Southern Virginia 66-45 on Senior Day last Saturday afternoon.
The big conference game improved the Bishops to 8-4 in the Division and 16-7 overall and they remain just one-half game back of 2nd-place Pfeiffer in the East.

ZEBULON -- The Milwaukee Brewers have named Victor Estevez as the new manager of the Carolina Mudcats for the 2022 season.
Estevez will be joined in Carolina by newly announced pitching coach Drew Thomas, hitting coach Ken Joyce, coach Jorge Ortega, athletic trainer Benny Arroyo and strength and conditioning specialist Jonah Mergen.

GREENSBORO -- Football has always been a family affair for David Howle, so the most exciting part of his recent lifetime membership into the North Carolina Football Coaches Association was the fact that his entire family was there to be a part of the event.
Two Saturdays ago, Howle was joined by his wife, Jane; daughter, Abby; son, Ty and daughter-in law Karen at the ceremony, which was held at the Greensboro Downtown Marriott.

RED OAK -- One of the fiercest rivalries in North Carolina had its newest chapter written on Friday night when the Rocky Mount Gryphons traveled to Northern Nash High School for a critical matchup on the hardwood.
The contest served as senior night for Northern Nash, with Knight fans hoping to avenge their earlier losses to Rocky Mount throughout the season.

Nash Central's Kenly Cox (left) and Southern Nash's Kaylin Younes (right) attempt to gain a rebound during Tuesday night's matchup at the NCHS Gymnasium in Rocky Mount.

(L to R) Nash Central's girls relay swimmers at the Class 1/2-A State Swim Championships were (l to r) Maddie Hart, Kylie Grace Billups, Arianne Spencer and Clara Danforth.

Nash Central's Kaileigh Gunter (with ball) helped the Lady Bulldogs roll to an early lead Tuesday before the visiting Southern Nash Ladybirds rallied for a victory.

Southern Nash High School senior football star Leo Jones has signed a letter-of-intent to continue his career at Methodist University, which is located in Fayetteville.

(L to R) Kylie Grace Billups and Ryan Agan were among Nash Central High School's participants at the Class 1/2-A State Swimming Championships last Saturday in Cary.

Nash Central High School's Stephen Howard (left) drives for a basket as Southern Nash's Tralon Mitchell defends during Tuesday night's important Big East Conference boys basketball game at the NCHS Gymnasium in Rocky Mount.